RUDALAVAGE, FRENCH, BELDEN, MILLS & BLACK ARE WINNERS ON

ADMAR SUPPLY COMPANY NIGHT AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY

AFTON, NY - Friday night saw the first 2004 trip to victory lane for three veteran drivers at The

New Afton Speedway. As the folks from ADMAR Supply Company watched the action from the VIP

Booth, Jeff Rudalavage of Olyphant, PA showed the form that carried him to the 2002 track

championship with a dominating win in the 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature. Tim French of Rockdale

followed up a Saturday night win last week with his first DIRT Sportsman win of the season and Bret

Belden of Edmeston broke free from his early-season misfortunes with an exciting DIRT Pro Stock

victory.

A pair of winners from April 23rd made their returns to victory lane at The New Afton Speedway as

Buck Mills of Willet took the checkered flag in the Pure Stock ranks while Whitney Point's Jeff Black

became a two-time Four-Cylinder Enduro winner.

Jeremy Smith grabbed the lead as the green flag flew for the DIRT 358 Modified feature from his

outside position on the front row as Rudalavage, who started fourth, and polesitter Tony Ross settled

into the second and third spots in the early going. Smith opened up a five car-length advantage in the first

three laps before Rudalavage began reeling him in. Smith washed up high into turns one and two on lap

six and Rudalavage quickly seized the opportunity by cutting to the inside and roaring to the point. As

Rudalavage began to pull away down the backstretch, Smith recovered to keep Ross in third with Dan

Vauter and Bob Hamm, Jr. rounding out the top five.

The first caution flag flew on lap 11 when Richie Pratt, Jr. spun in turn four. On the restart,

Rudalavage quickly pulled away with Smith in tow, followed by Ross, Vauter and Hamm, but the fifth

position would change hands one lap later as Mitch Gibbs began climbing into the picture. Rudalavage

began lapping some of the slower cars as Gibbs climbed into the fourth spot on lap 16 and Willy Decker

battled past Vauter on lap 21 for fifth.

A caution flag on lap 22 erased Rudalavage's full straightaway lead over Smith, but the pilot of the

#112 machine would not be denied as he again built comfortable leads after the lap 22 and lap 25 restarts.

While Rudalavage cruised to an eight car-length win over Smith, Ross completed his best run of the

2004 season by holding off Gibbs for third place as Decker would settle for fifth place.

Polesitter Adam Smith brought the DIRT Sportsman to Sam Rogers' green flag to start the 20-lap

main event, but it was Loren Lincoln grabbing the point from his outside starting spot on the front row.

French drove the Rockdale Rocket into second place with Smith, Butch Klinger and Steve Anderson

close behind.

On a lap four restart, Lincoln chose the quicker outside groove, but French got a great bite on the

inside as the green lights came back on. French used the shorter way around the 4/10-mile track to grab

the lead out of turn two as Lincoln slowly began to fade back into the pack. Klinger moved into the

runner-up spot with Anderson, Brad Alger and Tim Mayne climbing into the top five. By lap 10, Lincoln

had slid out of the top five and Smith moved into a contending position. Lincoln would retire to the pits

two laps later. On lap 11, the caution lights came on for Anderson's spin between turns three and four.

French could never built a comfortable lead as caution flags on lap 15 and the final lap bunched the

field up again. French kept the top spot on the final circuit and posted a five car-length win over Klinger

with Alger, Mayne and Smith completing the top five.

Pat Nolan led the DIRT Pro Stocks to the starting line for their 20-lap feature, but Belden used his

second starting spot to grab the lead before the first lap was completed. Caution flags on laps four and

five allowed Todd Hurlburt and Denny Smith to overtake Nolan while Jeremy Clark settled into the fifth

spot.

The top three cars pulled away and gave the crowd a treat with some great close-quarters racing.

Belden never surrendered the top spot, but Hurlburt pulled to the inside a few times. Hurlburt could have

tried to get Belden loose several times, but elected to try for the clean pass as Smith kept is nose in the

mix as well.

As the checkered flag was displayed, Belden opened a two car-length advantage over Hurlburt at the

line. Smith was another two car-lengths back with Nolan and Clark completing the top five.

For the final time of the night, Mills used the outside front-row starting spot to grab the lead from

the polesitter Joe Buchek as the green lights came on for the start of the 15-lap feature. It was never a

contest as Mills was back in top form after several weeks of mechanical problems and won by

comfortable margin. The race was slow only twice by caution flags. The first time on the opening lap

and then on lap three.

Harrington settled into the second spot on the opening lap and built a safe distance between himself

and Buchek as newcomers Andrew Szewczyk and Garnet Prescott rounded out the top five.

While head flagger Sam Rogers prepared to celebrate his birthday Saturday, many staff members of

The New Afton Speedway got promoter Pat Jordan into victory lane after the 358 Modified feature for

their rendition of "Happy Birthday" as Jordan celebrated his special day on race night.

The Friday night, kick off your Memorial Day weekend plans with a seven-card racing program.

The BRC Late Models Series makes a special appearance at The New Afton Speedway and the 4-

Cylinder Stocks return to the weekly racing card along with a full slate of DIRT 358 Modified, DIRT

Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stock, Pure Stock and 4-Cylinder Enduro action. There will added excitement as

the Modifieds go "Topless" for this night only. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with the racing action to begin

at 7:30.

If you have any questions on any upcoming events, you may call the speedway office at 607-657-

8018; the track office at 607-639-1966 or you may log on to The New Afton Speedway website at www.

thenewaftonspeedway.com. The New Afton Speedway, Friday’s Best Family Entertainment Value, is

located on the Afton Fairgrounds off of Interstate 88, Exit 7, on Route 41.